Zayed Sustainability Prize Announces Finalists Focused on Agricultural Innovation

Key Takeaways

1. The Zayed Sustainability Prize announces finalists for this year’s awards, to be presented at COP28 UAE.
2. The Prize received 5,213 entries across six categories, including a new Climate Action category.
3. Finalists in the Food category are focused on agricultural innovations for food security and sustainable farming.
4. The Prize aims to reward solutions addressing global challenges, including agriculture.
5. Winners in the Health, Food, Energy, Water, and Climate Action categories will receive US$600,000 each.

The Zayed Sustainability Prize, the UAE’s pioneering global sustainability and humanitarian award, has announced this year’s finalists. The winners will be revealed at the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony on December 1, during COP28 UAE. This year, the Prize has seen a 15% increase in submissions, with finalists representing small and medium-sized businesses, nonprofit organizations, and high schools from 30 countries.

Focus on Agriculture

Among the six categories—Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools—the Food category stands out for its focus on agricultural innovations. The finalists in this category are:

• Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agricultural Platform: An NPO from Palestine that empowers female agripreneurs in Gaza to achieve food security.
• Regen Organics: An SME from Kenya specializing in a municipal-scale manufacturing process that produces insect-based protein for livestock feed and organic fertilizer for horticultural production.
• Semilla Nueva: An NPO from Guatemala focusing on developing biofortified maize seeds.

These finalists contribute to sustainable agriculture, food security, and innovative farming techniques, aligning with the Prize’s mandate to tackle pressing global challenges.

Comments from Leadership

H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, emphasized that the finalists exemplify remarkable ingenuity and commitment to a more sustainable future. He also noted that the Prize has transformed the lives of over 378 million people across 151 countries, incentivizing solutions in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

Impact and Rewards

The Prize has had a significant impact on various sectors, including agriculture. Through its 106 winners, 3.5 million people have gained access to more nutritious food. Each winner in the Health, Food, Energy, Water, and Climate Action categories will receive US$600,000, providing substantial support for their initiatives.

Image provided by Zayed Sustainability Prize